1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a method and apparatus for use in conjunction with processing lines for strip material and, more particularly, to a method and apparatus for feeding coils of strip stock successively into a strip processing line in rapid succession.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In accordance with a well-known tube forming process, metal strip material is supplied to mills which produce continuous welded-seam metal tubes or pipes therefrom. The strip material is transported in coil form, with individual metal coils being bound by metal straps. Apparatus is known for uncoiling the strip material or skelp, and feeding the strip into the initial section of the mill feed line.
In continuous-tube mills, the lead end of each successive strip is joined to the tail end of the preceding strip before undergoing processing. It is obviously important in the operation of such continuous-tube mills to minimize the interval between the time when one coil is stripped off into the mill feed line and the time when the subsequent coil can be fed into the mill feed line and joined to the preceding strip.
It is known to utilize two arbors mounted on a horizontal turntable, with each arbor designed to support a metal coil. A first metal coil is mounted on a first arbor positioned adjacent an uncoiling apparatus, whereby the metal strip may be paid off from the arbor directly into the strip preparing portion of the mill feed line. The second arbor is positioned away from the uncoiling apparatus, in a loading position, where an operator may mount a second metal coil onto the second arbor.
When the first metal coil has been completely stripped off the first arbor, the turntable is rotated to a position where the second metal coil may be unstrapped, manually aligned, and fed into the strip preparation portion of the mill feed line. Simultaneously, the first arbor is moved to the loading position where a third metal coil may be mounted on the arbor. Thus, the mounting activity can occur simultaneously with the unstrapping, alignment, and feeding operations.
This apparatus has not proved entirely satisfactory in that after the metal coil is rotated into position in the uncoiling apparatus, it is not immediately ready to be fed into the strip preparation portion of the mill feed line, but rather must be unstrapped and aligned.